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Don't expect Bitcoin to become the dominant way people book hotel stays on Expedia sites, but the move is in line with the company's desire to broaden its payment options.
For travelers looking to avoid nasty credit card fees, Expedia is adding a payment option for hotel bookings — Bitcoin.
Expedia will begin accepting Bitcoin for hotel bookings, using Coinbase, a digital wallet, as the processing option. Users would just have to select Bitcoin as a payment option instead of current choices, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Diners Club and PayPal.
“We’re continually looking at ways consumers want to pay for their travel,” said Michael Gulmann, vice president, Expedia Global Product. “Bitcoin is a great example of how Expedia is investing early in an array of payment options to give our customers and partners more choice in the ways they interact with us.”
Expedia isn’t the first online travel agency to accept Bitcoin as Calabasas, California-based CheapAir began doing so for flights in November 2013, hotels in February 2014, and Amtrak tickets in May 2014.
Other major retailers have begun to honor the digital currency, too, and Virgin Galactic, too, is allowing Bitcoin payment for space flights.
Related: How One Couple Paid for Hotel and Flights Using Bitcoin
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Photo credit: Call Austin and Beccy Bingham Craig’s took a 90-day traveling-on-bitcoin challenge, paying for their flights and hotels using Bitcoin. Now Expedia plans to offer Bitcoin as a payment option for hotels.